Life-saving corset.



P. F. LEITNER.

LIFE SAVING CORSET.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4. 1914.

1,139,043. Patented May 11, 1915.

PAUL F. LEITNER, 0F LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

LIFE-SAVING CORSET.

Specification of Letters latentl Patented May 11, 1915.

Application filed November 4, 1914. Serial No. 870,311.

To all 11:71am it may concern: Y

Be it known that-I, PAUL F. LEITNER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Long Beach, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, haveinyented a new and useful Improvement in Life Saving Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to life saving corsets and has for its object the provision of aform fitting, inflatable garment adapted to be worn by passengers on marine voyages, or for use in the navy or under ,such other conditions as may be convenient and necessary, p

A. further object of my invention is to provide a garment whichmay be conveniently and comfortably worn under the outer garments orover the night clothes in order that the wearer may be prepared for any emergency in case of accident. It is generally the case that when an accident occurs to a vessel on the water, the passengers become panic stricken and have not sufficient presence of mind to properly adjust the ordinary types of life preservers on their bodies, and in many cases the preservers are not accessible or the passengers become confused as to their location, and a great loss' of life ensues.

A further object, therefore, of my invention is to provide means for properly securing the life saving garment in place on the wearer in time of composure so that it may be comfortably worn in a deflated state and to provide means for quickly inflating the same in emergency. W

A further object is to provide a garment in the form of a vest adapted to be made of very thin rubberized silk or like material having one or more air chambers formed between the walls thereof, of such shape that a free use of the arms and limbs will be permitted and having means for lacing or otherwise securing the garment around the body.

Other objects may appear in the description.

Referring to the. drawings, in which similar charactersof reference indicate the same parts throughout,.Figure 1 is a perspective of my garment; Fig. 2, is an elevation of the same in a flat, open state; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section-0f Fig. 2 on the line 3%; Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation of Fig. 2 on the line M; Fig. 5 is a sectional elearm vation of the same on the line 5-5; and Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of the same on the line 6-6.

My device consists of two normally parallel walls 1' and 2, cut from the same pattern and well vulcanized or otherwise suitably secured together. around the edges, When thus formed, the garment is in a single piece having arm holes 3 and 4 cut in the sides, the upper edge 5 being cut to conform to the neck-of the wearer and the" lower edge 6 being cut away slightly above the waist line so as to permit a free movement of the body and extended downwardly to a convenient point in the front. It is desirable that the shape of the front portion of the corset be cut lower for a ladys use than for a mans. and that the flat uninfiatable edge portions over the chest be extended downwardly to cover the breasts, as shown in the circular broken lines in Fig. 2. The edges 7 around the arm holes 3 and 4 and also around the neck opening 8 are secured together in a manner similar to the outer edges 5 and 6, the ends 9 and '10 also similarly secured together, are provided with a plurality of perforations in which are secured metallic eyes 11 of the commonly used type, by means of which a lacing cord 12 may be threaded and tied at the ends for holding the garment on the body. I do not however limit myself to the above described manner of'securing the ends together, as it may be desirable to use hooks and eyes, buttons or other devices. It is desirable that the portions 12 and 13 under the arm holes I be out rather low in order that a free movement of the arms may be permitted, and also that the back of the garment be divided in the center, as at 14, in order that this portion of the garment, when inflated may not be excessively bulky. I divide the garment in the back by vulcanizing the two walls 1. and 2 together at the points 15, 16, 17 and 18, as shown in section in Fig. 6, thus leaving passages 19, 20 and 21 between the air chambers 22 and 23. If found to be more convenient, similar divisions having similar passages may also be provided under the holes, but it is thought to be desirable, because of the limited thickness of the garment, to utilize all of the air space possible in order to provide the maximum buoyancy.

The shoulder straps 24 and 25 consist of the gether and extending downwardly in the front and back suificiently to afford the greatest comfort to the wearer.

At a convenient point in the front of the garment I secure a flexible tube 26 having a valve 27 in the end, by means of which the chambers 22 and 23 may be inflated, the position of the valve being convenient to the mouth of the wearer. The valve 27 may be of the common type such as used on bicycle tires or of other pose, the pressure of air in the chambers automatically closing: the port'of the valve and maintaining the garment in an inflated state, until the valve is removed from-the tube, when the garment may be quickly de flated.

,I am aware that certain patents have been granted upon. life saving suits, belts and vests, but I conceive my garment to be novel in its form and construction and a distinct improvement over other forms, in that it may be conveniently worn under the clothing, without discomfort, a free use of the arms and legs is permitted when the garment is fully inflated, so that swimming may not be impeded, and the garment may be worn by learners of the art of swimming of all styles, and when so used will greatly'facilitate and assist the swimmer.

The symmetrical form of my device serves to perfectly balance the body in the water in an upright or reclining position.

Other uses are obvious, the foregoing serving to suggest the practicability and general usefulness of my device, its structure and scope.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire Letters Patent fon, is:

1. A'lifesaving corset adapted to be worn under the clothing and restricted. to the upper portion of the body above the waist line composed of inner and outer parallel walls cut away above the waist line at the back and with the front edges extending conveniently'below the waist line,at the front and form adaptable to the purthrough and mes es adapted to be suitably secured together; said walls being of water proof and air tight fabric cemented together around the outer edges and the openings and having a central neck and opposite side arm openings with fiat shoulder portions above the arm openings formed by cementing said walls together; and there being a pair of symmetrically formed air chambers on each side of the garment separated in the back by cemented divisions, intercommunicating therecxtending continuously around the sides beneath the arm openings and terminating at the front edges.

2. A life saving corset adapted to be worn under the clothing and to cover the portion of the body from the shoulders to the waist line, composedof two water proof and air tight walls of fabric of like pattern cut away conveniently above the waist line in the back and extending entirely around the .body with the ends meeting at the center of the front and extending slightly below the waist line; having a central neck opening formed at the top, arm holes formed in the sides and flu; shoulder portions above the arm holes; the edges around the openings and sides and said shoulder portions being suitably cemented togell'ier and cemented divisions being formed in the center of the back; a pair of symmetrical air chambers being formed between the cemented portions, intercom-- municating through l rear divisions and extending continue: und'the sides and under the arm holes to nilC front edges and being limited. in area on ezwh. side of the front by the downwardly extcmling shoulder portions in order to form flat surfaces over the vbreasts; provided with means for securing the front ends together and means for inflating the garment convenient to the mouth of the wearer PAUL i LEIENER. Witnesses .Anivn Himrnns'rnm,

J. D. HAsKIN. 

